The Jacques Ardies Gallery is opening a new exhibition “Naif art or popular art? whatever, art from brazil !" with 32 paintings signed by eight artists who present works that represent Brazil exempt from external influences.
The selection of painters - Isabel de Jesus, Francisco Severino, Fefe Talavera, Dalva Magalhães, Gilvan, Ivan Moraes, Antônio de Olinda, José de Freitas - enables two simultaneous objectives: it rescues some artists passed away whose works should return to the public spotlight for their excellence and places them, side by side, with creative and interesting contemporary artists, showing recent paintings.
The question that titles the exhibition: Naive Art or Popular Art – can provoke criticism, comments, disagreements and agreements but does not interfere with the greater purpose: to reduce the controversy over the use of the term Naive and to show the art that is the main motto. Naive has become a pejorative term as if it denominated a minor art, not relevant, altough it is a term used internationally as a reference of a style.